Empuumo marathon gathers over 1,000 runners in Mbarara
State Minister for Education and Sports, Mr Peter Ogwang fagging off Empuumo participants at Kakyeka stadium as Hon Robert Rukaari looks on. Photo/Hillary Twinamatsiko
The inaugural edition of Empuumo marathon was largely a success as over 1000 runners showed up on October 27 in Mbarara city with the aim to kick HIV/AIDS out of Western Uganda by 2030.
Empuumo marathon partnered with Nation Media Group for the first edition taking on three routes of 5km, 10km and 21km.
Bishop King of Kings churches Silas Tayebwa, Mr Robert Mwesigwa Rukaari and State Minister for Education and Sports flagged off the runners at kakyeka stadium in Mbarara city.
Ms Ingrid Nyesiga, the Initiative for Better Health coordinator and coordinator for Empuumo marathon, said;
"As an initiative for better health, we thought this would help after a circulating video where they showed Southwestern is leading in HIV/AIDS in the whole country. Let’s be responsible to each other so that we don’t get affected by HIV and whoever is affected already, love yourself enough, be on your medication, look good and be productive,’’ she said.
Mr John Aturinde Kateeba, the Executive Director of Initiative for Better Health called for more community sensitisation on HIV/AIDS.
"We are targeting the youth most especially young girls who live in the hotspot areas in the entire Ankole sub region to just know how terrible HIV/AIDS is. That’s why you would find yourself in places like Kizungu in case you were able to run 10kms and those are the areas that we are targeting," Mr Aturinde said.
He added that, "we are collecting resources to establish skilling centers in those hot spot areas and this would help to curb HIV infection. We would get very many people skilled in different tasks so that they would be able to earn something and in the end kick out HIV infection’’.
State Minister for Education and Sports, Mr Peter Ogwang, said that creating HIV awareness in the region to fight HIV/AIDS by 2030 is a big step in the right direction.
“We all know that the population can be productive when it is healthy and going by the media reports, shows that Mbarara has taken the lead in the HIV prevalence. Today we gather not to just run but to celebrate the power of sports, a universal language that brings us together and each step you take today is a testament and dedication to hard work," Mr Ogwang said.
He later encouraged both seasoned runners and those that joined for the first time to be disciplined in their lives as their contribution to the fight against HIV/AIDs.
"Mbarara city is a place of sportsmanship. So today is a celebration of our shared love for running and fitness. I encourage everyone here to embrace the spirit of comradeship, support one another and make this marathon a great experience for us all. Therefore the organizers of this event thank you for awakening the fight against HIV/AIDS,’’ Mr Ogwang added.
